Cruise control: Over-70s are told to stay on dry land

PENSIONERS are being told to avoid travelling on cruise ships.

The Foreign Office is urging over-70s to cancel any upcoming cruise holidays as ‘an outbreak on board could put you at higher risk of severe disease’.

The new advice states: ‘The FCO advises British nationals aged 70 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions against cruise ship travel at this time. This is based on the Chief Medical Officer’s advice. It follows a number of cruise ships around the world being locked down due to coronavirus outbreaks on board.

‘An outbreak on board could put you at a higher risk of severe disease. This could lead to hospitalisation in another country, and potential disruption to medical care for any underlying condition. If you already have cruise travel plans, you should speak to your travel operator... If you’re already on a cruise ship, you should follow the advice of the ship’s authorities.’

Sir Richard Branson has postponed the inaugural season of his Virgin Voyages cruise line, and Princess Cruises is cancelling all trips for the next two months.

The first Briton to die of the virus was a passenger on the Diamond Princess, one of the Princess Cruises fleet. Company president Jan Swartz said: ‘Never in 55 years... have we been tested in the ways that we have been tested over the past 40 days.’